COVID-19 Burial Team Demands Relief Package After Member Got Infected

Members of the National COVID-19 Burial Team have expressed frustration over the exemption of the team from government's package for frontline health workers.

This comes after a member of the COVID-19 burial team contracted the virus.

Members of the team have been lamenting the poor treatment they receive despite the risks involved in their work.

The Director of Public Health of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Florence Kuukyi in an interview with Citi News said the government must give them the needed attention.

“We are also at risk. When we are going for the test, we make calls, and we are redirected to other places. That frustrates us. So we are just sitting down here without knowing our next step. At the beginning of this COVID-19 fight, we all thought there will be insurance cover for anyone who contracts the virus and dies in the line of work but here is the case, we don't even know who to go to as if we are doing the work for ourselves which makes our work disheartening.”

“The structures are not working but a lot of attention has been given to our colleagues at the creative side. The same thing should be given to those of us at the preventive side. We are sitting here, if someone dies in the house, they will call us to go and take the body without even knowing the cause of death. We have been collecting dead bodies from the roadside since this COVID-19 fight began putting ourselves in danger but it seems all these things are not seen. So if attention is given to others, we also deserve some attention.”

Earlier cry for support

Some members of the burial team in Accra had earlier disclosed that they are yet to receive any of the promised packages.

During the weekly burial activities at the Awudome cemetery, some members of the team appealed to the government to honour its promise.

“They have paid doctors and nurses in this COVID-19 fight. They have been paid all the allowances they deserve. But those of us doing the burials, look at us; [we've received] nothing.”

“Since March, they have not given us a pesewa,” a member of the burial team said.

At the time, Florence Kuukyi called for more logistics for the team.

She said they were in need of more Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and vehicles to transport bodies for burial.

“We are asking for vehicles to help during the burial. If anybody can supply us with a vehicle that will convey the people to and fro, we will want that.”

It threatened to quit its duties if attacks on them by families of persons who die as a result of coronavirus do not cease.